Not totally new.

I was diagnosed march 08..but I sure feel new..So much information that I am really overwhelmed.. I am taking insulin shots twice daily & was told basically just to eat 45 carbs per meal and 15 for snacks…but not so much on what to eat..For the most part I've been doing okay, lately I go really low in the middle of the night..i.e..last 2 nights all the way down to 36 , kinda scary…maybe someone can point me in the right direction as far as simple infomation..I feel so inept at sorting through it all..Thank you.

15 replies

I was on insulin for a total of 2 months. I used the hypos - not a metered pen. My specialist said 2 cc less each week if sugars were low enough. They were. It only took 2 months to get off of the insulin - she said it was a minor miracle. Hey - miracles do happen. Now I just watch my diet and take pills.Did you call your doctor? They might have lowered your meds or the amount of insulin injected.

Haven't you heard of "Whitaker Wellness" center ???? PLEASE google it or go to whitakerwellness.com This could TOTALLY save/change your diabetic life, it sure did mine. these MD's specialize in diabetes and getting people to a whole healthy life

the best fruits I have found for not raising my blood sugar so much are berries, especially strawberries, and melon. Look up the carb counts in the "Calorie King" booklet. The worst fruit for me is bananas. If I eat a banana I buy a few that have a lot of green on them. If they are very ripe they will raise my blood sugar more, and faster. I also eat peaches, pears and apples that are very crisp and not so mellow for the same reason.

My nutritionist recommends 2 protein/1 carb snacks as well. For the carbs, that is 15 g, I can't remember the grams on the protein. If my bs is less than 120 at bedtime, I have a snack. I've found I have to be a little higher at bedtime to avoid the lows overnight. The snack I've found that works best for me is an open faced sandwich. 1 piece of wheat bread, a good portion of meat (I like ham which is a little higher in fat than turkey), roast beef is good too. A slice of cheese. Throw it in the microwave for a minute or so to melt the cheese. YUMMMMMY!!!!!!!!!!

I will occassionally also indulge in a bowl of frozen yogurt with some fruit and nuts (generous portion of nuts for the protein count).

I too suffer from fruit sensitivity, so I eat more veggies than fruit. If I do eat fruit, I make sure I balance it with protein.

i went thru the same thing for many yrs even though i had a "snack" before bed.I now have the pump and i have to say it is the best thing ever invented! I have been a diabetic for over 28 yrs and was also a nurse for more yrs then that.It takes alittle work to figure out what works for You,dont give up You have many resources available!…Merry Christmas to all!

I have been a diabetic for 27 years. I have had problems with low and high blood sugars. The protein idea before going to bed is good. I take one type of insulin before every meal. My meal insulin is Humalog and I take a shot of Lantus at night after I test my last blood sugar. Frequent testing has really helped me out.

Due to numerous other medical issues, I prefer to not eat before bed. So, I get up every night at 1:00 AM just to check my blood sugar. I keep supplies right by my bed and I'm back to sleep within 5 minutes. I've learned a lot by doing this.

I am VERY sensitive to carbs, too. I have found some grocery items that help me keep my carbs low.Items like: Ezekial 4:9 bread. It is carried at my local grocery. They keep it in the freezer area because it doesn't move quickly enough to shelve it. It is made from sprouts, not flour. No flour in it at all. Amazing stuff. Finding it has been a great thing for my carbs count. Then, Amazon.com is carrying diabetic groceries. They have name-brand stuff like Dove sugar-free chocolates and International Coffees (French Vanilla Cafe flavors and others), sugar and carb-free syrups, pancake mixes and the like. And many things ship for free if you order $25 or more. Glucerna is a namebrand for diabetics. Walgreens and Target carry these items. Cereal, energy bars, shakes and things like that are offered. Can't say the carbs on these items are real low… mostly the sugars and fats are low. Might want to check that out. But it's hard to get the carbs low. 1% milkfat or fat-free Cottage cheese and sugar-free canned fruits is excellent in that department. After having a bowl of that, my numbers will be perfect. Also, I enjoy fresh broccoli, cauliflower and carrots dipped in Marzetti's light Ranch Vege Dip. Interesting enough, the carbs on the Light dip are lower than the carbs on the fat-free dip. This dip would be like 2 carbs for a serving of great-tasting veges. Best to you as you work your way towards health!

i have type 2 diabetes and i wonder if we can eat fresh fruits or honey i love that. my diabetes is under control and i am watching my sugar intake but i have a hard time to give up fresh fruits.i am 116 pounds and 5 foot 3 inshes

I want to say honey is about 17 carbs…Honey is digested alot slower then regular sugar (lower glycemic index) so a well controlled diabetic can certainly enjoy a bit of honey like any other sweetener…just count the carbs and your good :)

Fruit is much the same…I have always been taught to not eat my fruit alone but balance it with a bit of protein…

The tough thing is all diabetics are different…for me I know I dont tolerate the honey and have to be careful with fruits but each person is different and sensitive to diff things…best thing is to try things and see how they affect you specifically…

I agree its so hard to give up some nice healthy things we enjoy that are higher in sugar…

To simplify…Put it this way…Your best choice of a snack…is a snack that the Protein on the label, is the closest to the Carb on it…This is to simplify the way you view bad, and better snacks…So you ideally want to pick snacks (especially before bed) that those two contents on the label are the most equal…hard to do! but some of the protein bars, atkins, south beach, etc are good snacks because they are so close…A protein will take the carb and make it slowly digest…its slows down the process…so protein is your carb friend… :)